


A Look (that I've seen before)

by Merely_Specters



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Ficlet, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, One Shot, POV Jester Lavorre, Takes place sometime around episode 70, Whump, Widojest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merely_Specters/pseuds/Merely_Specters
Summary: After Jester gets hurt in battle, she finds herself beside Caleb.
Relationships: Fjord/Jester Lavorre, Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Kudos: 57





	A Look (that I've seen before)

**Author's Note:**

> This work was based off a prompt from hurt-comfort on tumblr: “I’ll be fine, ______. You’re in far worse shape than me, why don’t you worry about yourself instead?”

Jester looked around at the group: battered and bruised, none had left this battle unscathed. Caleb and Fjord were the most injured—they had been walking in the back when the monsters came up from behind, slicing them nearly in two. Jester glanced at Fjord; he sat beside Caduceus ( _I didn't get there fast enough_ , Jester reflected, stricken). Jester felt her cheeks heat up, and she looked away before her crush could get the better of her.

She kneeled by Caleb’s side instead. He was in rough shape. A large slash lay across his chest, coating his clothing in dull red blood. Using one of her last spell slots, Jester poured her magic into Caleb. The wound mended, ever so slightly.

Caleb reached up, touching the side of the twin wound she bore upon her chest.

“Jester, you should talk to Caduceus and get that healed.”

Jester pushed his hand aside. “I’ll be fine, Caleb. You’re in far worse shape than me: why don’t you worry about yourself instead?” Jester said.

“You should sit down, take a break. We’re about to take a rest anyways—you don’t need to cast all these spells.”

Jester shook her head. “I can help a little more.” She attempted to stand but wobbled, barely making it a few steps without having to grab onto Caleb’s shoulder.

Caleb took her by the arm. “Rest.”

Jester crumpled to the hard ground beside Caleb, her pride succumbing to exhaustion. She lay on the ground with a soft _thud_ , staring up at the night sky above.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jester saw Caleb staring. It was subtle—if you didn’t know Caleb, you might mistake it for observation. But Jester had seen Caleb observe. This wasn’t simple investigation: no, this stare was deeper. It reminded Jester of when the Nein used to look into the Luxon, back when Molly walked with them.

Jester reflected on his expression. _Weird._

“Here.” Caleb passed her his scarf. “If you’re going to lay there, you might as well put it under your head. I’ll just cast the dome here.”

“No, no, I can get up,” Jester interrupted, “I can move.”

“Oh. Well. Either way, I’m feeling tired myself, so I’ll cast it here.”

Jester smiled. “Alright.”

So Jester stayed there, her arms flat against the cool dirt.

She soon felt a warmth—Frumpkin. He curled against her side. She looked up at Caleb, whose face was as innocent as could be.

Jester smirked. “You could be a good prankster, you know. Nice poker face. Nott and I could use you.”

“But then it wouldn’t be just the ladies anymore, and we wouldn’t want that.”

She shrugged. “Well, we could make an exception. You’ll be an honorary detective.”

Caleb’s lips quirked up, just a bit. Jester took that as a victory.

...So there she lay for what seemed like forever, in a quiet reverie, with Caleb’s globules of light drifting overhead.

After a time, a forest-green dome crystallized above them. She now saw the stars through a green sheen—it reminded Jester of the Traveler. Maybe one day Caleb could follow him, just like she did. Then she would have an excuse to spend time with him—no. She didn’t need an excuse to spend time with her _friend_ Caleb. She could just sit by him. _In this nice quiet._ Like she was now. Like she spent time with Fjord.

Caleb was so different than Fjord. _I mean, both are attractive in their own ways._ Fjord had kind of a muscle-y type of hotness. He worked in grand gestures, bold kisses underwater. The rest of the time, though, he was just friendly.

Caleb…

Caleb was always thoughtful. He was there in the little moments, the in-betweens. The lulls.

Frumpkin purred at her side.

_But I love Fjord. Right?_

Jester's cheeks colored. She sat up, looking out toward the group just as they headed toward the dome. Fjord caught her eye, and she smiled.

In her periphery, Jester saw Caleb’s face fall. He looked away.

_Huh._

But Jester didn’t have to think about it, not with the group coming to sit beside them both.

_Maybe I’ll ask him about it later. Definitely later._

And yet, later, not a word was exchanged.


End file.
